That Awful, Horrible, Wonderful Color
by TimeToWriteIsHistory
Summary: Scorpius Malfoy boards the Hogwarts Express at the beginning of his 7th year and uses the minutes before 11 o'clock to ponder how he got to where he is, and what may be in his future.


**A/N: This is my first fanfiction story. I didn't even read any fanfiction until 2 months ago. While it would be nice if you were kind, I would like feedback. I always enjoy any opportunity to improve my writing.**

**Disclaimer: I do not own any of the characters in this story.**

It was times like these when Scorpius Malfoy wished his hair was more like his father's. In the sun, his hair turned a horrid yellow, unlike his father's, which stayed its silvery blonde. He didn't understand why his hair was more yellow than a regular dirty blonde, especially when his mother's hair was so dark.

He was sitting on a plush red velvet bench seat, leaned up against the wall to the left of his. Sun streamed in from the window, striking his hair. The sun had peeked over the building across from the train 10 minutes ago, setting off his frequent inner commentary on his hair color.

He watched the people on the platform below. About 20 feet away from the train stood a large group of red-headed people, with glimpses of black interspersed. The blondes of the small crowd seemed to stay on the outside layer of the chaotic circle. The almost clear distinction gave Scorpius the image of different factions, battling for dominant power. However, the closest the familiar people below got to war was sibling squabbles. A face suddenly appeared in the mass of hair and his eyes met hers.

He felt a smile grace his face as the girl gave him a toothy grin and a wave. The girl poked the black-haired person beside her and another face appeared. He waved back to the two of them and received the one-minute signal from the girl. Scorpius leaned back against the seat and stared at the seat opposite him.

His 7th year was finally here. 9 more months at Hogwarts, and then he was out into the adult world, with jobs, responsibilities, worries.

Yeah, like worries weren't in his world now.

His musings were interrupted when the door of the compartment he was sitting in was slammed open. He turned his head towards the sound and saw the girl, with a large trunk trailing behind her. She had long, wavy, frizzy red hair and brown eyes. Freckles dotted the skin over her cheekbones and the bridge of her nose. She was slight, and fair-skinned limbs poured out of her pale yellow dress. While the girl looked more like she belonged in spring, she seemed utterly at home in fall. If September 1st could be considered fall, that is.

The girl swept a careful gaze over the compartment, eventually stopping at Scorpius, pressed into the back of the seat. She frowned.

"What are you doing, hiding in here?" asked Rose Weasley.

"I'm not hiding," Scorpius said indignantly.

Rose raised one eyebrow but said nothing in response to this. Instead, "Well, since you're insisting on staying in here,"

Scorpius glared at Rose with this statement.

"Can you please help me get this trunk into the rack?"

Scorpius had forgotten about the trunk. "Oh. Yeah."

Rose grinned. "Am I really that much of a tomboy that you've forgotten I'm a girl?" she teased.

Scorpius had bent down to pick up one end of the trunk, but stood back up and straightened himself at this statement. "First of all," he raised one finger, "I have never met anyone who can lift that trunk themselves. Even _I_," Scorpius let his finger fall and puffed out his chest mockingly, "had to have my father help me."

"Oh, how the mighty Scorpius has fallen." Rose folded her hands over her heart and lifter her eyes to the ceiling, but Scorpius didn't miss the wicked glint in them.

"Second," Scorpius growled warningly and glared at her, but the glare was halfhearted and had a matching sheen that spoke of trouble to come. "No boy would have that hair."

Before Scorpius could continue, Rose punched him and gave him a real, full glare. Scorpius smirked and finished his "argument". "Third, you're wearing a dress."

"Oh!" The exclamation had a tone of surprise. "Yeah, I am."

At this, Scorpius burst out laughing and received another smack on the arm from Rose. "It's not like I wanted to!" protested Rose.

"Oh, I know," Scorpius chortled. "Heaven forbid you should look like a girl."

Rose narrowed her eyes. "You don't really want a repeat of Easter weekend, do you?"

Scorpius stopped laughing immediately. He shuddered as he remembered how long it had taken to figure out how to turn his hair back to blonde from bright bubblegum pink. Of course, it had to be _his_ best friend's relatives who owned the best joke shop in all of Great Britain.

"It wouldn't be so bad, though," Rose continued, her anger changing to teasing humor. "I mean, the pink was so adorable! And Teddy and Uncle Harry absolutely_ loved_ it." Rose grinned mischievously.

Before Scorpius could respond to this, he noticed a flicker of black out of the corner of his eye. He turned towards the window and saw a head of black hair for a second, before it disappeared and the grey of the wall opposite the train replaced the darker color. A few seconds later, it happened again.

He moved to the window and looked out.

Albus Potter was jumping up and down, trying to get someone's attention. With a laugh, Scorpius opened the window and stuck his head out.

"Hey, Al. Tired yet?"

"It took you long enough to notice me." He stopped jumping and wiped his forehead. He seemed winded.

"Why didn't you just come in?"

"Am I the only person who likes to send time with their family?" Al swung his lanky arms, gesturing wildly.

Rose joined Scorpius at the window and popped her head out too. "You're the only one who doesn't realize we'll see them again at Christmas."

Al raised his green eyes to Rose and glared at her through his glasses. He turned around and shouted over his shoulder, "I'll be there in a few minutes."

Scorpius retracted his head from the window and sat back down. Rose walked to the door. "I think I'll go spend a few more minutes with my family too. Would you like to come?"

In truth, Scorpius would have loved to come. He missed many members of the Potter-Weasley clan. Normally, the presence of Rose's father would not have deterred him from seeing them. However, a recent slip-up of Al's had caused Rose's father to become even more hostile towards Scorpius.

Scorpius sighed. "I better not."

Rose looked at him sadly. "He can't scare you forever." Scorpius snorted, and Rose opened the compartment door and left.

Scorpius watched the girl who he had liked since 4th year as she disembarked and walked over to her family.

Last Christmas break, Al had accidentally told his father about Scorpius's feelings towards Rose. While Al's father had been entirely okay with this revelation, even happy, Rose's father had not. Scorpius had no idea why Al's father had told Rose's. He knew the two were best friends, but surely Mr. Potter was smart enough to realize telling Mr. Weasley was a horrible idea.

Mr. Weasley had never liked Scorpius. Rose had tried many times to get him to change his mind, but he never did. Scorpius knew of the ill feelings between the Weasley and Malfoy families, but it didn't seem to affect anyone's feelings toward Scorpius, except Mr. Weasley.

At least the only people who knew of Scorpius's feelings were himself, Al, and the two fathers. Most likely, Mrs. Potter and Mrs. Weasley knew too, but he wasn't sure, as they had never confronted him about it. Mr. Potter and Mr. Weasley had never confronted him either. In fact, he wouldn't have know why Rose's father was acting so unusually horrible to him unless Al had told him that he had told his father. Al probably still felt horrible about letting that slip.

Scorpius watched Rose talk to her parents and thought about what she had said before leaving the compartment.

"He can't scare you forever."

Scorpius snorted again. Rose didn't know how scary her family was. He had watched for six years the terrorization of boyfriends of any female who was remotely related to the Weasleys. It was part of the reason he had never told her how he felt. The other part was their friendship.

Scorpius Malfoy had gotten onto the Hogwarts Express for the first time six years ago, not expecting to make any friends. He knew of the sentiments towards his family. He got on early, found a compartment to himself, and watched as person after person opened the door and then passed by once they realized who was sitting there. Even though he had expected it, it still hurt each time it happened. Eventually, a little girl with a mass of red curls opened the door, looked at him with a curious gaze, sat down, and held out her hand. The words that came out of her mouth surprised him much more than the show of goodwill had.

"Hello. My name is Rose Weasley. It's nice to meet you Scorpius. My father said I'm not supposed to be friends with you, but I think that's quite ridiculous. You may be a Malfoy, but you deserve a chance, just like everyone else.

Scorpius noticed the twinkle in her eye before he heard her next sentence.

"You know, I bet your father isn't even that bad anymore."

Scorpius sat and blinked, letting the shock sink in.

The girl smiled. "You do know how to shake hands, don't you?" she teased.

Scorpius shook off the haze and gave her a tentative smile with the hand he extended. The girl took it, looking very pleased with herself.

"I… I'm sorry. I don't remember your name. What is it again?" Scorpius asked.

The girl laughed, but not unkindly. Before she could answer, however, a yell rang through the train.

"Rose? Rose! Where are you?"

The girl got up, leaned out of the compartment, and yelled "Al! Get your butt in here! We have a new friend!" A few seconds later, a boy with messy black hair, green eyes, and glasses appeared. He saw Rose first, and then looked amused as he took Scorpius in. "Of course," the boy said. "I'm Al Potter." The boy stuck his hand out.

Rose giggled. "His name is Albus."

"I thought we agreed to never call me that." Al said to Rose, momentarily distracted.

"Oh, I don't know." Scorpius butted in. "Albus is such a _fun_ name."

Al glared at Rose, while Rose looked at Scorpius, surprised but very happy. "I don't know how you corrupt people so quickly." Al muttered. Rose laughed, and Al sat down next to Scorpius, who was suddenly filled with happy thoughts: that he wouldn't be friendless after all.

Scorpius smiled as he thought back to that first day of their friendship. The three of them had been best friends since that day. He knew that if he told Rose of his feelings, he wouldn't lose Al, but would he lose Rose?

Al had been surprisingly okay with Scorpius's feelings towards Rose. He even seemed to encourage them. But Scorpius didn't want to think of how Rose's other relatives might react. Especially James. James Potter was the most protective of Rose, second only to Al in the cousin category.

But come to think of it, James was gone. In fact, everyone was gone except for Rose, Al, Rose's brother Hugo and Al's sister Lily. Maybe he would have a chance this year.

The more he thought about it, the more courage and hope he gathered. This would be the year he would tell Rose.

At this thought, Rose walked back into the train compartment, this time followed by Al. Scorpius helped Al lift his trunk, and the two sat side by side, as they had done every year since their first time on the Hogwarts Express. Rose left again, saying she had to speak to her brother.

Al leaned close to Scorpius, whispering even though they were alone. "I am _still_ so sorry about letting it drop. I know that's why you didn't visit this summer."

Scorpius waved it off. "You know I don't blame you, I'm not angry, etc."

Al leaned back and looked across the compartment. "Well, at least we know my dad's on your side. He wanted me to tell you that you should give it a shot this year."

Scorpius smiled, amused. "Oh yeah? What makes him think that?"

"Well," Al chuckled, "mainly the fact that James is gone and Uncle Ron can't touch you at Hogwarts. He can send you a Howler, though."

Scorpius rolled his eyes. "Thank you so much for that thought, Al."

Al's chuckle escalated into a hearty laugh. He opened his mouth to say something, but instead dropped the subject because Rose had reentered the compartment.

"Lily's looking for you." Rose said to Al as she plopped herself onto the seat.

Al's face scrunched up into confusion. "Okay?" The word came out as a question, but he got up anyway, leaving Scorpius and Rose to deal with whatever problem could have arisen with his sister.

Scorpius felt the sun hit his hair before he saw it streaming through the window. "If only I could murder the sun," Scorpius thought, silently condemning the yellow shade of his hair.

"I don't think I've ever told you this," spoke Rose, breaking Scorpius out of his negative thoughts, "but I really like the color of your hair. It looks nice in the sun."

Scorpius stared at Rose, surprised, searching for any reason that would show she was not sincere. However, it seemed as though she was being completely truthful. He took in the dress she was wearing, realizing it was yellow too. Convinced that yellow wasn't a completely evil color, he gave Rose a small smile and said, "Thank you." As she smiled, Scorpius noticed how the yellow dress emphasized her red hair, his favorite feature of hers.

Now that his negatives thoughts concerning his hair and been erased from his brain, those thoughts seemingly had been replaced by the sense that everything would be all right.

Rose and Scorpius sat for a few more minutes in comfortable silence, and then Al rejoined the pair, just as the train started moving. Al and Rose started discussing Quidditch, but Scorpius took a few moments to look out the window before he would lose sight of Platform 9 ¾. He noticed the sun, which he had a new appreciation for after the conversation that had taken place mere moments ago. He also noticed Al's father, who was facing the train, unlike the other Weasley-Potter parents and relatives. Mr. Potter smiled at Scorpius, and winked. When the platform disappeared behind rolling green hills, Scorpius returned his attention to Al and Rose, who were once again arguing about which Quidditch team was better, the Chudley Cannons or the Holyhead Harpies. The familiar bickering surrounded Scorpius, and he felt, once again, at home. He was with his two best friends, on his way to the most wonderful place he had ever been. Noticing that the argument would not end any time soon, he complacently watched Rose and turned his mind to yellow, that awful, horrible, _wonderful_ color.


End file.
